


rumour has it

by chanyeolanda



Category: 2PM (Band), GOT7, ITZY (Band), Stray Kids (Band), TWICE (Band), iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Gen, jinyoung's name might not be mentioned but its jjp okay read the original fic, not as grand as the plans i had for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-10 12:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20527937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chanyeolanda/pseuds/chanyeolanda
Summary: a country inn is the perfect place to find out what all's going on in the neighbourhood.or even the kingdom, for that matter.it's mostly reliable information.(or: in which tea (and beer) is spilled)





	rumour has it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Verocity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verocity/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Gimme dat ol' time religion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6134009) by [Verocity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verocity/pseuds/Verocity). 

> i found yugyeom

'why are we here again?' chan asks and and yugyeom shoots him a look.

'for a drink and some food and to sit down,' yugyeom replies as if explaining to a child.

'not at the tavern,' chan says, exasperated, 'the northern kingdom. god, sometimes you make me want to get back on a boat and fuck off again.'

'you don't mean that,' yugyeom say dismissively, 'you only got back like three weeks ago.'

'yeah, and you were basically waiting at the docks to drag me off on this trip. some welcome back party.'

'that's why we're here.'

chan stops and blinks. 'what?'

yugyeom turns and grins at him. 'your welcome back party.'

chan glances up at the building he's never seen before in his life, in a kingdom he's never been to. 'the tavern?'

'no,' yugyeom scoffs, 'the northern kingdom.'

'i'm so lost,' chan says helplessly.

'not to worry,' yugyeom says carelessly, 'i know exactly where we are.'

chan gapes and as yugyeom heads into the tavern he lifts his hands as if to strangle him. 

it's not the first time he's had the urge on this trip. yugyeom has been maddeningly mysterious.

they're greeted with a friendly 'hello!' from the girl at the bar when they walk in. 'welcome to the buxom wench!'

yugyeom gives her a convivial once-over and a friendly grin. 'are you the buxom wench?'

'yes, she is,' a man sitting at the bar says, shooting the woman a teasing glance - obviously a regular.

'that's up for debate, junhoe,' she remarks dryly, whipping his shoulder with the towel hung over her shoulder. she smiles at yugyeom and chan. 'i prefer jihyo, in any case. where are you two travelling from?'

'the southern kingdom,' yugyeom replies and the other patrons perk up - except for one fair-featured boy who just kind of huffs and gets laughed at by his female companion.

'you must be exhausted! come, sit down, let me get you a beer,' jihyo fusses, gesturing to the chairs next to junhoe.

'jihyo makes really good food as well,' the girl who had laughed at the boy says and jihyo beams at her.

'aw, yeji, thank you, honey, but you know i don't do the cooking.'

'jihyo serves really good food,' another woman sitting near the bar corrects.

'also not accurate.'

'jihyo serves really good beer to go with the really good food,' another guy says and there's a general murmur of agreement from the other patrons.

it's a nice vibe, chan decides. there's a sense of homeliness and familiarity in the tavern, despite chan never having been anywhere in the vicinity of it before.

sure beats riding in the goddessless heat outside.

the beer is good, and the locals are friendly, and the food lives up to the praise - rich stew and thick, crusty, warm bread, served by the cook who was introduced to them as the second _buxom wench_ contender - a tall, well-built man named chansung, with his appearance prompting junhoe and a woman introduced as jeongyeon to break out into a wellworn argument about the true titular _buxom wench_.

it's immediately made clear that after eating is time for talking.

and by talking, chan means he now knows a lot about local social politics and the personal affairs of a lot of people he otherwise knows nothing about.

as soon as he and yugyeom have finished eating, however, the conversation turns to a topic of a larger scale of interest.

'so what brings you to the northern kingdom?' jeongyeon asks, bringing chan and yugyeom into the larger conversation.

'obviously the royal wedding,' a diminutive man introduced as changbin says, 'no offence, but you don't look like merchants.'

'not sure why that would be offensive,' yugyeom remarks and changbin shrugs. 

'am i wrong?'

'well,' chan starts, 'not about the merchant part.'

'or the royal wedding part,' yugyeom says casually and chan looks at him in confusion.

'we're here for the royal wedding?' he asks, followed by a beat of silence. 'there's a royal wedding?'

'you don't know about the royal wedding?' yeji asks, aghast.

'forgive my companion, he's been abroad for a very long time. he's a bit out of touch,' yugyeom says smoothly.

'do you want to know about the royal wedding?' yeji says eagerly, and changbin glowers at the pretty boy rolling his eyes beside her. 

'sure,' chan says, 'i get the feeling it's a bigger deal than most.'

'it's the return of the princess!' yeji says excitedly.

'and after the shamble the prince left the kingdom in, it couldn't come soon enough,' jihyo remarks, laying fresh flagons of beer in front of chan and yugyeom.

'what happened?'

'wow, you really have been away for a while,' chansung says, leaning against the bar.

'better part of a decade,' chan says.

'the king's brother,' jihyo says, 'took over the kingdom when the king died and the princess fell into an enchanted sleep.'

'practically ran it into the ground,' jeongyeon mutters murderously.

'by the four goddesses, it was awful,' jihyo sighs, 'trade was down, the economy was in shambles, marauders were everywhere... barely kept this place running.'

'at least you didn't have to deal with the guy,' junhoe says.

'junhoe's a knight,' chansung supplies.

'_was_ a knight,' junhoe corrects.

'he went rogue when the prince came into power, refused to work for him,' jihyo shares and turns to junhoe, 'you know, now he's been defeated and the princess is back, you could absolutely go back to the castle, petition to get reinstated.'

'why would i do that?' junhoe asks, 'i'm protecting you, here.'

'now that the princess has defeated the prince and his followers, there's far less marauders to worry about,' jihyo says, 'when was the last time you fought anyone?'

junhoe pretends to think about it.

'chansung,' jihyo calls with a smile, 'don't you think it's time we fire junhoe?'

'he's still in our employ?' chansung asks, 'we actually pay this guy?'

'you've never paid me,' junhoe responds dryly, 'except in food and lodging.'

'for what? there haven't been marauders in these parts since the prince was killed,' chansung says, 'high time you should be getting back to the capital.' 

junhoe drinks his beer petulantly in response. 

'so, the prince was defeated?' chan asks, tearing his gaze away from the line of junhoe's shoulder.

'thoroughly,' jeongyeon confirms, 'it was wonderful to hear about from a distance. apparently it was a bit of a blood bath at the capital, though.'

'how did the princess wake up?' chan asks.

'true love's kiss,' junhoe simpers, fluttering his eyelashes. 'naturally.'

'right,' chan says, 'of course.'

'it was a southern kingdom knight,' yeji says excitedly, 'and now the princess is marrying him,' she sighs. 'the knight's a total dreamboat, i saw him when we went to the capital to get supplies.'

the pretty boy scoffs and rolls his eyes. 'i mean, i guess he's _okay_. he's not all that.'

there's a smattering of laughter that marks this a common argument.

'just because you're in love with the princess, hyunjin,' changbin shoots at him, a sour note to his voice.

'i'm not _in love_ with him,' hyunjin protests and chan's forehead creases at the pronoun. 'i just think he deserves better than that knight.'

'you'd rather he marry a merchant?' jeongyeon teases and hyunjin huffs.

'i never said that!' he whines plaintively.

'why wouldn't the knight deserve to marry him,' yeji says dismissively, 'the knight did fight hordes of monsters to rescue him after all.'

'no one saw him do that! the princess could have done that!'

'except he was asleep, so actually the knight did that.'

'_and_ broke the curse,' chansung adds, 'one that can only be broken by true love.'

'he didn't even know him!' hyunjin protests, 'how could it be true love!'

'sometimes you just know,' jihyo says, ruffling his hair and shooting yugyeom a grin. yugyeom smiles back as he sheepishly dumps napkins on the beer he spilled.

'well, whatever. the princess probably didn't even need rescuing. you know, i heard the knight's page used to be a hamster,' hyunjin says mutinously and yugyeom bursts into laughter. 

'it's not impossible, you know,' chansung tells him gently and yugyeom waves his hand.

'i know, i know, don't worry about it,' yugyeom grins. 'sure, the page used to be a hamster.'

jeongyeon shrugs. 'they say the princess's maid used to be a rat.'

'i don't believe that,' yeji says, 'we saw both of them and he didn't look much like a rat. the page being a hamster is far more believeable.'

chan tilts his head at another male pronoun he's sure isn't meant to be there. but then, he hasn't been using the language of the land for a very long time. maybe he's mistaken. 

'do you know what i heard when i went into town last?' jihyo says, leaning into the conversation. 'i heard the king and queen weren't actually dead. i heard they've been seen in the kingdom.'

'really?' yugyeom says, surprised, 'i hadn't heard anything about that in the southern kingdom.'

'it's just a rumour right now,' jihyo says.

'i heard it too,' hyunjin says, 'the capital is abuzz with it. not that it makes much of a difference - they say soon after the princess is...' he makes a disgruntled face. 'married, his father will step down and he will be crowned king.'

'hold on,' chan says at last, 'sorry, i think my translation skills are failing, but you keep saying _princess_, and then male pronouns and now _king_.'

'yes?' hyunjin says, 'and?'

'where are you having difficulties?' chansung asks.

chan blinks. 'the... what? isn't it obvious?'

yugyeom leans over. 'the princess of the northern kingdom is male.'

'what,' chan says, nonplussed.

'you didn't know?' jihyo asks, surprised.

'hyunjin wouldn't be so obsessed if he were a woman,' yeji mutters,

'how was i meant to know that?' chan turns to yugyeom. 'how did _you_ know?'

'i come to northern kingdom on occasion,' yugyeom says, 'also i got a letter that mentioned it.'

'but... princess?' chan asks helplessly, turning back to the locals, who just look at him weirdly.

look at _him_ weirdly.

'oh, i'd love to go to a coronation,' yeji sighs, and chan sits there, summarily dismissed. 'i'm sure it will be _wonderful_.'

'wasn't that impressive,' junhoe says nonchalantly.

'you weren't at a _king's_ coronation,' yeji dismisses, 'it's _bound_ to be different.'

'then let's go, when it happens,' jihyo says, 'and to the wedding. we're sure to catch a glimpse.'

'do you know what i heard about the wedding,' jeongyeon says, with all the air of something who has a juicy piece of news to share regardless of its reputability, a salacious grin on her face.

'well, don't keep us in suspense,' chansung prompts after the expectant silence dragged on for a few seconds too long.

jeongyeon leans back in her chair in satisfaction. 'i heard it's a shotgun wedding.'

chan feels like all the gasps and 'no's' chorusing in the room were not about, what he felt, the most obvious part of this.

'how on _earth_ could it be a shotgun wedding?' chan bursts out, and he's met with another room full of amused looks.

'you see, when two people love each other very much,' junhoe starts, humour lacing his voice and chan flushes.

'_that's not what i meant_ and you know it,' he says, 'it's two men!'

'and?' 

'what do you mean, _and_? what goes on in this kingdom that two men having a kid isn't cause for bewilderment?' chan says.

'next thing you'll be saying two men can't get married,' changbin says with a look of faint disdain.

'wha- no!' chan protests, 'of course two men can get married! but biologically-'

'the princess has two very powerful, if not a little unhinged, fairy godmothers. if anyone could make it a possibility, it would be those men,' junhoe says lazily, and chan resists the urge to mouth _men_ as he looks at junhoe for what is most definitely the first time since he last spoke. hundred percent. absolutely not at the marriage comment.

chan elbows a snickering yugyeom in the ribs.

'well, maybe these fine fellows can confirm the rumour. what did you say you were going to the royal wedding for again?' chansung asks and chan shrugs.

'i didn't know we were going to the royal wedding. are we going to the royal wedding?' chan asks yugyeom, and he nods.

'do you remember bambam?' yugyeom responds and now chan is very lost.

'obviously. i was surprised he wasn't with you when you kidnapped me at the docks.'

'do you remember his knight's name?'

chan scrunches up his nose as he thinks. 'uh... jaebum? sir jaebum? something like that, wasn't it?' 

yugyeom grins and gives a nod and chan becomes aware of the round eyes and dropped jaws of the locals.

'_the_ sir jaebum?' yeji says in a hushed, awed tone.

'you know the princess's fiance?' hyunjin says, his voice strident and astonished.

'to some degree, and far more from the incessant complaining of his page,' yugyeom says, 'he's my best friend.'

'wait,' chan says, 'the hamster guy-'

'oh, that's staying,' yugyeom says, 'i am never letting him live that down.'

'hold on, but you said we were here for-'

'okay, so technically it's not going to be your welcome back party, but it will be a fantastic party,' yugyeom says with a wide grin.

'you wouldn't happen to need a date for this wedding, would you?' jihyo asks, catching yugyeom's eye.

'you offering?' he asks.

'oh, no, i was just thinking yeji would _love_ to go,' jihyo says, wide eyed and innocent.

'i'm right here!' hyunjin says, 'if we're talking about people who want to go!'

'i thought you didn't want to know anything about the royal wedding,' yeji protests indignantly and hyunjin gives her a look.

'obviously that'll change if i get to see the princess up close,' he says as if she's dumb.

'there's no need to be so overboard with your crush,' changbin says, huffing a bit.

'you don't want to see the wedding?' yugyeom asks jihyo and she shrugs.

'i've got people to feed here,' she says airily and is met with a synchronised chorus of 'you don't even _serve_ the food!'

'we might need a local guide, i've only been to the capital once,' yugyeom tells her, only slightly wheedling.

'i can show you the way,' junhoe says.

'you can?' chan says, surprised.

'to protect the lady of the inn of course,' he says, shooting jihyo a wink.

'you're not even that strong,' she says defensively, 'i could beat you.'

junhoe makes a _are you sure about that_ face. 'mm, i don't know about that.'

'maybe,' jihyo allows after a beat or two, and junhoe tilts his head in doubtful consideration.

'junhoe's pretty scary,' changbin says, with what chan thinks might be a bit of sarcasm.

'i'm not scary,' junhoe says without much conviction.

'terrifying,' hyunjin adds.

junhoe waves his hand in dismissal but chan doesn't miss the small satisfied smile on his face. he's not sure if it's because he's pleased he's not viewed as scary, or if he just missed the facetious hue of their words.

jihyo rolls her eyes. 'either way, you're fired.'

junhoe gapes indignantly before turning to chan. 'well, now it seems i'm unemployed, so i should probably look into getting my old job back.'

'how long will it take us to get to the capital?' yugyeom asks and junhoe shrugs.

'five days, tops,' yeji says.

'and the royal wedding is when again?'

'a week from sunday,' hyunjin replies.

yugyeom nods and raises his glass at jihyo. 'get us a another beer and we can discuss exactly who will be coming with us when we leave tomorrow.'

'oh thank the goddesses,' chan moans, slumping his chair, suddenly aware of all the aching muscles in his body, 'i was going to cry if i had to get back on that horse today.'

'doubt you'll be much happier about it tomorrow,' yugyeom says with a wink, and junhoe snorts into his beer.

chan narrows his eyes at yugyeom.

'what,' yugyeom says innocently, 'when was the last long distance horse trip you took? why are you looking at me like that?'

**Author's Note:**

> i did not do the original fic justice, but i hope it gave you a giggle regardless!


End file.
